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The Master of Arts in Philosophy is a two-year degree designed for those
who wish to pursue doctoral studies, or who desire a firm grounding in the
core issues of their chosen area of study.
The MA (Phil) program begins with foundational courses in biblical studies
and reformational philosophy, and concludes with an oral defense of the written
thesis. Junior members (students) complete a total of ten semester courses (including the two
foundational courses and one interdisciplinary seminar), do a guided reading
in the thesis area, and write a master’s thesis. Other courses are chosen in
consultation with a faculty mentor. They include an emphasis in one of the
following six interdisciplinary clusters:
- Aesthetics, Hermeneutics, and Philosophy of Discourse
- Anthropology and Ethics
- History of Philosophy
- Knowledge, Truth, and Learning
- Social and Political Philosophy
- Theology and Biblical Studies
The thesis is a major paper of 17,000 – 25,000 words. It demonstrates that the
junior member can work competently in his or her area of emphasis. An oral examination
occurs at the completion of the thesis. It is conducted by the thesis committee,
plus an external examiner, and includes an exploration of surrounding and
supporting knowledge.
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